Denominational Statement- Excerpt
From the minutes of Convention Saturday, July 10, 2004

A denominational Statement on Same Sex Marriage:

"With humility and a willingness to be led by the Lord and in Love toward the neighbor, The Swedenborgian church of North America, a Christ-centered church that affirms religious pluralism recognizes the goodness of love in many forms. Wherever love is, God is there too… for “God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them.” (1 John 4:16) We also affirm our fundamental right of freedom of choice; we affirm the right of each individual to choose his or her life partner and do so within a committed relationship based in love and fidelity toward one another.
We affirm that in a democratic and free society adult persons should be free to enjoy the same basic legal rights within a committed and faithful relationship, regardless of gender, sexual orientation, race, religion, or social status. We affirm that the presence of hatred, discrimination, homophobia, and selfishness are against God’s will, as we perceive the Divine with and amongst us."

Therefore, we do so declare and affirm that couples, irrespective of sexual orientation, deserve the right to legally join themselves in a union of love called marriage.

We do this with the conviction that marriage entails lifelong mutual trust and strict fidelity to one partner for better or for worse, and the church will offer its ongoing support to couples it has united…"